A MARRIAGE ANNULLED.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 May 1917, Page 5

A MARRIAGE ANNULLED.

WOMAN WITH TWO HUSBANDS. Auckland, May 17. An unußual suit for nullity of marriage, Arthur Edwin Featherstone v Kate Featherstone or Johnstone, heard before Mr. Justice Cooper, was decided this morning, when His Honor granted a decree. The ground of petition was the respondent's alleged marriage to fone John Bjorini Johnson, at Ivaitaia in 190G, and the assumption that Johnson •was alive and fighting in France when she went through the cevemony of marriage with the petitioner in September, IfHU. His Honor commented on the divergence between the statements of the bride's name, birthplace, age and parentage in the two marriage certificates produced. I*t had been held that in a pitit for • nullity of marriage on the ground of bigamy, the bigamy charge must be proved as strictly as if respondent had been charged criminally with the offence. Regarding the identification of the respondent with the woman who married Johnson in 1006, he considered that her identity had been sufficiently established. With regard t.> Johnson, two letters produced, which he vas stated to have sent from France, appeared to be genuine, and indicated that he was alive in November last. Further his name had not appeared on any casualty list, and thore wa-5 evidence that the pay allotments had not been stopped, as they wouli have been upon his death. ''ln my opinion, therefore," said- His Honor, "I can properly And as a fact that Johnson was alive when the respondent went through the ceremony of marriage with petitioner, and the charge of bigamy lis a been proved."